Drinking Water Week 2013: What’s in YOUR Water?

2013 May 2

By Lisa Donahue

I like to go camping in the summer with my kids. We make sure the hiking boots fit and pile all the gear and food in the car, with a plan to explore the wild lands of Pennsylvania. We camp in state parks or private campgrounds. We have snacks to eat, and marshmallows to toast, but… what about water?

Do we drink straight from a stream? Certainly not! Streams can contain harmful bacteria and other pollutants.Do I buy bottled water to bring? Or fill up our water bottles at the camp ground?

Taking a hike at Worlds End State Park

I think about drinking water all the time – it’s my job. I’m part of the EPA team in the Mid Atlantic Region that administers and enforces the Safe Drinking Water Act, the law that says we should all have safe water to drink.

Public Water Systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act have to conduct tests to make sure the water they supply to customers and visitors isn’t contaminated. Campgrounds and state parks are likely to be regulated as public water systems. They are often in sparsely populated areas and use their own wells or other water sources to provide water to the campers and visitors.

How do I find out whether or not the water at a particular place is OK? I check the data systems. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has an on-line database of all of their water systems. I can search by the name of the park or campground where I’m planning to go, or search geographically. Find it here: http://www.drinkingwater.state.pa.us/dwrs/HTM/Welcome.html

Once I find the place I’m looking for, I can check to see if there are any violations. Did the campground conduct all the tests it was supposed to? Did those tests come out OK, showing no contamination? If I’m venturing further away from home, some other states have similar on-line databases. Also, EPA maintains the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is accessible through our Envirofacts web site.

By the way, these databases don’t just have information on campgrounds! They have information on community water systems, too — the water system serving your city or town. For the most part, the water systems in the mid-Atlantic states meet EPA standards.

There are lots of ways to get information about what’s in the water we drink. Did you find something through one of the links above about your drinking water?

Drinking Water Week is May 5-11. Celebrate by taking some time to learn more about your drinking water sources!

About the Author: Lisa Donahue has been an Environmental Scientist with EPA’s Mid Atlantic Region for over twenty years. She’s a native of southeastern Pennsylvania, and enjoys being outside in all four seasons.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed here are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.

Please share this post. However, please don't change the title or the content. If you do make changes, don't attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

I didn’t even know there was a national drinking water week. I will have to post that on Facebook. Should you be using a filter in your water bottle if you happen to be outside and drinking the same water you use to water your lawn and garden?

Most garden hoses are not safe to be used for drinking water consumption. Although the water comes from the same interior pipes as the water to your kitchen faucet, the hose may contain metals or plastic components that can transfer into the water as the water passes through. There are some hoses that are certified for drinking water, and they are specifically labeled to be used for drinking water. Filters are another story. There are different filters for different purposes. Many personal pitcher or water bottle-based filters are what are called “taste and odor” filters. They may make the water taste better, but are not certified to remove unhealthy contaminants. When selecting a filter, be aware of what you want to remove from the water, and purchase a filter that is certified (by NSF or another independent organization) to remove that contaminant. I would recommend that you refill your water bottles inside, instead of from the hose. I hope this answers your question.